Borders Elite Swim Team – text G

IT has been yet another season of outstanding performances for the Borders Elite Swim Team (Best) with their highest ever tally of medals and records.

BEST placed 13th on the 2013 Scottish Open Championships team points score.

Competing against hundreds of teams from all over Britain, the team then placed 24th at the British Youth Championships and was the fourth Scottish team.

At the Scottish Age Group Championships BEST placed 10th, while members won three individual silver medals and five relay medals at the 2012 W.I.S.E. International. The team won six gold medals and one silver, and broke three records at the 2013 Scottish Schools Championships.

In the last season the team have won 26 Scottish national gold medals, broke 17 Scottish age group records and 55 district records.

Individual success came the way of Kelso trio Kirsty Armstrong, Ryan Brown and Lucy Hope, who broke 13 national and district records and contested 10 British finals between them. Lucy also became the first Borders-based swimmer in more than 20 years to gain a place in Team GB at the European Junior Championships where she won a bronze as part of the 4x100 freestyle relay and made it to the final of the 200m backstroke.